After the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 pretty much everyone thought that Sydney was the largest city (some people still think it’s the capital of Australia), and the number of companies with headquarters there reflects that pretty well.

But 8 years later, Melbourne is really starting to push ahead of its long-time rival…

Melbourne and Brisbane are the only two major Australian cities whose tourism board sites appear top in a Google search. When Tiger Airways decided to expand to Australia, they chose Melbourne, not Sydney. Bands are doing repeat shows in Melbourne and none of the other capital cities.

Gets me to thinking…what has Melbourne done to get there?

Maybe it’s partly location. But there’s so many interrelated factors… Having one of the highest ranking universities in the world? The largest fashion week in Australia? The only recognisable tourism campaign? Policy for doing innovative things (like the Melbourne City Council’s ‘green’ building)?

What makes a city what it is? How do you form a brand identity for millions of people who seemingly have nothing more in common than the place they live in?